Pinterest to Reality

Like everyone else I stare at amazing things on pinterest a lot more than I do them.

But thanks to Goodwill I have launched into actually doing one of them

(Insert giant smile here)

This is my want to do list

See the adorable beach cover up?

Well the brown one has the actual tutorial.

click HERE for it.

It only took me about 15 mins to make and a little hand stitching.

Like I said I was at Goodwill and found some t-shirt material, almost 3yd for only 3 bucks.

After looking at myself trying to wear this, I decided it would be better on my daughter. 

Getting her to model it, well, that took a couple of days. 

I'm gonna say modeling is not in her future. 

Think she's ok with that and so am I  :D

She does make me laugh and she really did like the cover up. 

It was super easy to make and if I find material without the horizontal lines....

I just might make one for myself. 

Oh and looky what I found on Craigslist....guess how much? 

com 'ere

IT WAS FREEEEEEE!!!

I know right?  sigh, feel like I won something.

I'll blog again when it's finished.

1 plus 1 = BAM!

Ok this is sooo easy I feel bad even posting this.  Not bad enough to not post it though.

  Let's not get that confused. 

 I do apologize for not bringing to you said bathroom redo. 

 I did go to a hardware clearance sale (fill a bag for ten bucks!!!). 

 So I now have pipes and other plumbing stuff.

Ok, so on to a simple project you really could do with your eyes closed.

Simple wood frame (a dollar at Michaels) and vase filler I found at Walmart for a few bucks on clearance.

All you need is, you and some glue.  I used wood glue, because it's wood and it will hold better.

Then put glue on wood frame (small sections at a time, wood glue dries fast) and place pieces of wood on glue.  I did random but you could take the time to do a pattern.  I was going for super easy.

So here it is......TADA!! 

I haven't figured out if I wanna paint it or not.  Kinda like the natural look.

So there ya go gluing one thing to another.

I am finally working on my twisted idea for a birthday cake stand.  I'll give ya a sneak peak.

But you can't tell anyone it might ruin the surprise.

I was inspired by

http://bentobjects.blogspot.com/

Another birthday tragedy, oh the horror!!

Sometimes ya just got no where to run.

I hope to have this finished by Monday (it's my birthday).  Which is why I'm not very valentiney, kinda rebelling on that.

Until then......

Chandi redoux part one

A friend of my daughters, who is quite impassioned with all things French, came to the house, a while back.  Found out I had remade the chandelier in my daughter's room and, my daughter who is generous enough to volunteer my time, planned a project for me.

I was to make her a smaller one, with antique french features.  It needed to be gold.

It's soooooooo much easier to do white, or black, or red, or hot pink.  Oooooh hot pink sounds like fun.

Off to the ReStore to hopefully find something cheap.  I found this for 2 dollars.

Yeah, I know it's not tooo pretty but, that is why it was only 2 dollars.  The fact it was dirty was why they gave me a huge discount.

So after I removed the outer glass thingy, I had this simple and small chandi with horrible lights.  Good thing the lights are the easiest part. 

I had been hunting for crystals to hang but those things are like a dollar a piece (cheapest I could find)

I was at the ReStor again and happened upon these for like a dollar!!!!  They are plastic but at this point who cares. 

I do cruise the ReStore often looking for freebies.  Things that are chipped or missing pieces.  Then I take them apart and use the pieces.  This is my stash, I'm going to use the chain for the added support, since I am converting this to plug in and not hard wire. 

Hard wire, rewire, convert?!?!?!! sounds too complicated?  Nah, it really isn't.  They sell the kits for less than ten bucks.  Once you're use to it, then you can just buy what you need.  So you unscrew the top and you will find the gold wire  (two parts) is attached to a bunch of other wires.  Don't worry we are only switching the gold wire for another wire.  The other stuff stays the same.  So unwrap the electric tape and unscrew the wire nuts (the orange cappy things).  Untwist the wires to get the gold wire out or the wire that is sticking out of the top of light fixture. 

There are two main colors black and white.  NEVER mix the two.

See the little gold wire?  That's the one we are removing. 

Ok, I have misplaced my replacement wire so until I form a search and rescue team to get my back in case I get lost in my mess of an art center.  I have moved on to painting.  Screw the top back on and proceed to paint.  There is this stuff that you can buff on metal to change it's color, it's called Rub'n Buff.  I had planned on using it to get the gold look I was after but then I was rummaging in my supplies and found this.

Not even sure where I got it, but it's like powdered gold.  Then when added to gold paint you get this.

It looked like real liquid gold.  I was excited. 

I brushed it on, one coat at a time and was tickled with the results.  I then sprayed a thin coat of lacquer over it a few times. 

So much better than the brass.  Oh I did take some steel wool and sanded the shine off a bit but, be careful if you sand too much, you start making it shiny again.  So sand enough to rough it up, so the paint can stick to it.

I let it dry for a few days to really set.  Then I got sick :( booo........ so this is a part one.

Hopefully by next week I will have this completed.  This will be my fifth rewire, remix light fixture and it just keeps getting easier.  Got something butt ugly? I say make it beautiful or just plain fun.

These are my other transformations if ya wanna check it out.http://craftingoccurs.blogspot.com/2009/09/back-to-school-paris-style.html

http://craftingoccurs.blogspot.com/2010/08/freecycle-cooooooool-style-daddio.html

http://craftingoccurs.blogspot.com/2010/06/ugly-chandelier-to-wow.html

More Christmas stuff

This here is a wreath I made with dollar store stuff.

Bought a wood wreath and wrapped it with ribbon.  Also bought at the dollar store, bow, sign, foam for hand cut outs, pom-poms, and the left over candy canes from a garland.

The things I made were those lollipops from 40 cent wood cut-outs and chopsticks. Glue two to chopstick and paint and add glitter.  Then use small ribbon to cover the edges.  This is for the family I mention previously, so I went over to outline their children's hands.  The foam sheets last so much better than paper.

I also added stickers to mark the year.

I also made another cake stand.  This one I went for a nature inspired feel.

Once again dollar store goodies inside and inserted into Styrofoam disc that is secured to bowl by hot glue.

Glue bowls together with glue for glass.

This is the back side.

Once again  Tada!!

I am going to go decorate the family's living room sometime this week.  So hope to post pics of the completed room. :)

Yes, I ripped off this idea

Ok so over at http://sunnyslifeinrehab.blogspot.com/ is this amazing woman who comes up with some awesome ideas.  She is funny and down to earth and I think this is the first time I have ever tried the link thing.  So bear with me as I am now in unknown territory.  At least unknown to me.

So back before Halloween she made a cake stand out of three bowls and a plate.  It was cute and I decided to use the idea to make a Christmas one.

 This is the stuff I am using, all found at the dollar store.

The back side, I made a snowman out of ornaments and toothpicks

The hat is scrap paper

I also bought a Styrofoam disc that I covered in fluff and hot glued to bowl.

I popped the plastic candy canes off the garland.

Glued the bowls together.  All objects inside have been glued and secured so they don't move.

This is the backside.  Really hard to take a picture and not have flash jack it up.

This is it complete!  Tada!!

Thank you so much http://sunnyslifeinrehab.blogspot.com/ for your wonderful idea.

$1 Chandy Shades

Well I did it again.  Forgot to take the before picture.  I get an idea, and I'm on it before I remember "hey you should blog about this".  By then it's too late, it's either torn apart or transformed.  When will I learn?  Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

I redid a chandelier a couple of months ago and put it up on Etsy, but no buyers.  I then hung it above my desk, and decided I don't care if anyone buys it.  It works great and brings in the light and the funk.  I also realized it's pretty bright for a small area.  Sooooooo this is my solution.  Shades, "futures' so bright, gotta wear shades".  The chandy needed some shades. 

So wandering around the Dollar Store (again) and I find these small shades.  The fabric on them is great, if I was doing the sweet cottagey thing with a side of grandma.  But that's not how I roll.  I figured for a dollar what truly have I got to loose?   I bought five and brought them home and then torn them apart.  I really don't know how they make these things.  But I do know how to fake something pretty good.

I ended up with a piece of plastic and two metal thingy loops.

 Pretty simple, I used the plastic thingy to trace onto craft paper I thought would go great with the black and white chandelier.

After gluing it on I used a small piece of painters tape to attach the rings.  Not knowing how to make the really sticky ribbon they had used and knowing that it will be covered with the fringe anyway.  I decided to use black duct tape.   I love duct tape and use it any chance I
Re-attaching the fringe and popping them on the chandelier this is how it came out.

 One is off and the last is on.  I think they came out pretty good.
If I get tired of them, I can always tear them apart again and add a different style, color, medium, theme.  For a dollar it was well worth it.  Not sure I'd want to tear up something that cost me a lot of money.

Number 2 "the tutorial returns" awesome lanterns

This is the greatest idea ever!! well at least right now.

What you will need:
2 Dollar Store metal baskets
pliers
some ribbon and scissors

Found these amazing color baskets at the dollar tree.
Ok first step ....take off the handles and put aside we will use them.



So you're baskets look like this. Then take your pliers and pull off the handle thingy. You only need to do one basket.

Then bend one of the handles to become the hook or not it's a choice thing. I just didn't want to waste a handle.

Take the other handle and insert it to the bottom of one basket. You can take the pliers and squeeze the gap so it doesn't fall out.

Then cut some pieces of ribbon to tie the two baskets together. I used four just to secure it. I have also (on other pieces) used three on one side, like a hinge and then a bow in the front. So I could access it for tea lights or better yet battery tea lights. They look awesome with many bunched together, or other colors. I so thought it would be a great lantern for party decorations, a funky purse or lunch pail (just add a button for a latch) and also a fun lamp shade by cutting a hole in the top and adding a light. I love looking at them and finding ways to use them for something other than a basket. I hope you will too.